The Austin, Texas-based Roots Americana singer and songwriter got his start in the entertainment industry performing as a comic stuntman at Renaissance faires. He'd jump, tumble, joke and somersault his way into the hearts of his audience. After each performance, he'd pass the hat for tips.

These days when Forsyth performs, he sings instead of doing somersaults; he travels the folk music circuit and not the sideshow one, and instead of passing the hat at shows he sells his critically acclaimed albums.

Forsyth will perform a free outdoor concert on Thursday, July 28, at 7 p.m. at Ballard Park in Ridgefield. The performance is part of the CHIRP Concert Series and will take place at the Ridgefield Playhouse if weather's bad.

One of the founding members of the 1990s gutbucket blues group the Asylum Street Spankers, Forsyth recorded five albums with the group and has since released several solo albums.

His songs range from energetic, old-fashioned yarns about love, the government and the apocalypse, to those in his most recent CD, written for his daughter, titled "The Freedom to Fail."

On one of the album's featured tracks, "The Things that Matter," Forsyth croons, "Don't give me diamond rings, all those so-called finer things, they don't matter when they are not there ..."

On this tour Forsyth is accompanied by his longtime rhythm section drummer Nina Singh-Botta and her husband, bassist Jeff Botta, both of whom also appear on several of his albums.

You can hear strains of Forsyth's comic stuntman past in his sometimes quirky, but always heartfelt, songs. The lyrics to his original songs are moving and layered and he delivers them with a powerful voice and the gusto of a natural-born showman.

Ballard Park is at Main and Gilbert streets. Call 203-431-6501 or visit www.chirpct.org.

The Duhks in Ridgefield

CHIRP will host another free Ridgefield concert in Ballard Park on Tuesday, July 16, at 7 p.m. (Ridgefield Playhouse is the rain location.) The concert will feature the Duhks, a band of five skilled, high-energy musicians from Manitoba, Canada, that has riveted audiences around the world with its genre-bending blend of soul, gospel, Brazilian samba, old-time string band, Celtic and zydeco music.

The four original members of the band Survivor -- Frankie Sullivan, Dave Bickler, Jimi Jamison and Marc Droubay -- continue to thrill audiences in concert. The group will perform at the Ridgefield Playhouse on Saturday, July 13, at 8 p.m. The band's set will include such hits as "High on You," "The Search is Over," "Eye of The Tiger," "I Can't Hold Back" and "Is This Love." Opening will be the band Station.

Blues phenomenon and guitar wunderkind Kenny Wayne Shepherd will perform at the Ridgefield Playhouse on Wednesday, July 17, at 8 p.m. His hit songs include "Slow Ride," "Blue On Black" and "Everything is Broken." Opening will be Artie Tobia. All ticketholders are invited to a 6 p.m. barbecue courtesy of BMW of Ridgefield in the playhouse parking lot at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, July 13, at 8 p.m., legendary crooner Tony Bennett will perform an outdoor concert at Ives Concert Park in Danbury. Bennett is 86 and still going strong. In 2011, to commemorate his 85th birthday, he released the Grammy-winning album "Duets II." On it, Bennett was joined by such contemporary musical guests as Lady Gaga, John Mayer and Amy Winehouse, as well as such classic performers as Aretha Franklin and Willie Nelson.

Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in 1926, he grew up in Astoria, Queens, N.Y. As a teen, Bennett would sing while waiting tables in a local restaurant. During World War II, he enlisted in the Army and performed with military bands in Europe. Bennett's big break came in 1949 when he came to comedian Bob Hope's attention while working with Pearl Bailey in Greenwich Village, and Hope invited him to perform at the famed Paramount Theatre. From there Bennett launched a string of hit singles.

On Sunday, July 14, at 6 p.m., the free outdoor Bethel Concert series at the town gazebo will host a performance by the band Highway Robbery. The group's members share a love of music from the '60s and '70s. The band comprises members of the original local band Tumbleweed, who rekindled a love of the music from that era. The band features Greg Damici on drums, Jeff Case on guitar and vocals, John LePage on bass and vocals and Ira Pollack on guitar and vocals.

Want your show to be considered for Backstage Pass? Are you a local artist who wants to be profiled? Send an email with all pertinent information about the band and the gig to Erik Ofgang at least two weeks before the show. Send it to erikofgang@gmail.com for consideration.